Ralf Heckel is chairman and founder of the International Space Education Institute since 2002. In this position, Heckel directs german´s independend space education for a human and technical exploration of space, inspiration of the youth and rebuilding business networks. He also is still in current contact with ca. 60 space scientist in the world, primary with NASA employees, russian colleagues, India and Kenya.

Special earnings of Heckel are ca. 300 red carpet educational tours through the international aerospace business. From them 12 went to russian and american space facilities. Furthermore he organized the 1st successful outer country competion at the NASA Annual Moonbuggy Race and outer country competions to russian space student contests since 2007. His excellent contacts to the principals of the US and russian space agencys, their personnel and families of famous chief designers opened him doors for his international visions. Since 2006 he was invited VIP to all official large space celebrations and organized international speakers for this (Return to flight, launch of STS-121, 100 years Korolev, 50 years Sputnik, 50 years US in space). Heckel pushed the word “Space Education” in Germany to Top 1 and 2 unter 45 Mio hits (Google Germany 2008). NASA-, ESA- and DLR-hits are after him.

Formerly Heckel was editor at a german press agency (BPA) and PR manager of different companys. He organiced ca. 2000 articles in various press and TV. Ca. 1000 of them and ca. 50 TV-releases promote the international space business and education. With the private industrial space project “NOT for EVERYBODY” of the company BRUNO BANANI he funds the private space business in germany. It was honored with the 2nd marketing price of New York in 2002. Beetween 2001 and 2005 he controled ca. 1800 small educational experiments at the space station ISS.

Heckel was born in Nordhausen/Thuringia, Germany (1969), received a magister certificate and a skilled engineering worker for industrial mechanic (1988), worked as engine checker (1990) and wanted to study technical kybernetic. After the unification of germany (he was born in former east germany) this branch of study was deleted, so he taked the challenge to rebuilt a new future in his country as freelancer. 1993 he got a general manager of a radio- and TV-station for 2 years.

Heckel is the recipient of numerous awards and special honors for technical constructions, marketing camaigns and educational ideas. He is special member of the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, special guest scientist of the Moscow Aviation Institute. He got the membership of the biomedical preperation of manned marsflight at IMBP. He wrote a book together with russians chief designer Korolev´s daughter.

He is married to the former Yvonne Blaese as german ambassador for space education. They have two daughters.